5.12.2012

Knicks To Look For Point Guard To Partner w| Jeremy Lin

when coach Mike Woodson stopped short of anointing Jeremy Lin the Knicks’ starting point guard for next season, he did so with a reason. The Knicks have eyes on landing a veteran point guard to share the load and do not want to close the door on any point-guard recruits.

The Knicks have their list of capable point guards to pursue in free agency, which begins July 1, either for the veteran’s minimum at about $1.4 million or their lower exception of $2 million. Their $5 million mid-level exception is expected to go to Lin, 24, who not only adds another dimension to Woodson’s sickly playoff offense but adds a boatload of cash to owner James Dolan’s coffers.

Some of the cheaper veteran free agents include Derek Fisher, Gary Neal, Kirk Hinrich, Ramon Sessions and even ex-Knick Raymond Felton. The Knicks are helped because the market for mid-tier players is suppressed by the new collective bargaining agreement, and most teams already have their starting point guard.

Other young free-agent point guards include Amityville’s A.J. Price, Jannero Pargo and former Syracuse star Jonny Flynn, whom the Knicks staff likes. Goran Dragic and Steve Nash are out of reach, and Andre Miller and Jameer Nelson also appear pie-in-the-sky.

The Knicks want to build around Linsanity. General manager Glen Grunwald does not believe the Knicks’ 8-1 February run with Lin at the controls was a fluke. But management has questions as Lin rehabs from last month’s left knee surgery, starting with: Will he be durable enough to last a full 82-game schedule as a starter, especially given his style of barreling into the paint? nypost

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